Safety guard for high chairs



Dec. 29, 1953 r s, BYRNE 2,664,150

SAFETY GUARD FOR HIGH CHAIRS Filed July 14, 1951 INVENTOR. MILDRED STROT BYRNE ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 29, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE s 2,664,150 e H SAFETY GUARD FOR HIGH CHAIRS Mildred Strot Byrne, Minneapolis Minn. Application July 14, 1951, Serial 236,737

4 Claims. (01. 155-189) My invention relates to improvements in high chairs.

It is well known that when a child wants to get out of a high chair, the tendency is to straighten itself and slide feet first under the tray of the chair, resulting in bruises from the chair and the tray while sliding therefrom, and often a bad fall resulting in serious injuries.

An object of this invention is to provide a relatively simple and highly efficient safety guard applicable to the conventional high chair or embodied therein in the manufacture thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a high chair safety guard that makes it impossible for a child to slide under the tray of the chair but which at the same time makes it possible to place a child in the chair or lift it therefrom without moving or disturbing the position of the safety guard.

A still further object of this invention isto provide a safety guard for a high chair that does not discomfort or annoy the child.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the drawing.

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel construction and arrangement hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a high chair having the invention attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the safety guard removed from the high chair, on an en larged scale;

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views principally in section taken on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 of Fig. 2, respectively;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a slightly modified form of the safety guard; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a high chair having embodied therein means for removably attaching the safety guard thereto.

The numeral I indicates a conventional high chair and, of the parts thereof, it is important to note the seat 3, the back 9. the arms ID, the front spindles I I that support the arms II! from the seat 8, and the tray I2 having rearwardly projecting arms I3 pivoted to the back 9 and holding the tray I2 for raising and lowering movements. In Fig. 1, the tray I2 is shown raised but normally it will rest on the arms I0.

Referring first to the invention shown in Figs.

1 to 4, inclusive, thenumeral I 4indicates a safety guard in theform of a horizontally elongated panel of plywood or other suitable material. The safety guard I4 has in its lower longitudinal portion two laterally spaced leg openings I5, each in the form of an arch. The major upper longitudinal edge portion of the safety guard I4 is covered, stiffened and thickened by a long straight rib I6 that is substantially square in cross-section and the longitudinal edges of which are rounded. This rib I6 has in its underside at the transverse center a longitudinal groove I! that extends the fulllength thereof and into which the upper longitudinal edge portion of the guard I4 is fitted. The safety guard I4 is notched at I8 to receive the ribI-G and positionits top in the plane of the upper edges of the end portions of said guard. The =end:.portions of the rib I6,

on each side of the safety guard I4, are shaped concave and merge into the sides of said guard, as indicated at IS. The rib I6 is secured to the safety guard I4 by glue.

On each end portion of the safety guard I4, at the back thereof, is a clip 20 in the form of a thin upright strip of material, the end portions of which are folded over the upper and lower longitudinal'edge portions of said guard and inwardly onto the front of the safety guard I4. These clips 20 are slidable on the safety guard I4 to vary the distance therebetween. Formed in each clip 20, at its longitudinal center, is a pair of laterally spaced upright slots 2|. A buckleequipped stra 22 is attached to each clip 20 by lacing the same through the respective pair of slots 2|.

To apply the safety guard I4 to the chair 1,: the same is placed in front of the spindle II and the clips 20 adjusted to align themselves with. said spindle. The straps 22 are placed around. the spindles II and buckled.

Obviously, when a child is seated in the chair I; with its legs extending through the openings-I5,v it is impossible for itto slide out of the chair 1. or get hurt trying to slide therefrom. A child may grip the rib I6 without hurting its hands, as all edges and corners thereof are smooth.

Referring now to the modification shown in. Fig. 5, parts that correspond to like parts shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, are given the same refer-- ence numeral followed by a prime.

In place of the clips 20, a pair of upright slots: 23 are formed. in each end portion of the safety guard I4, only one pair of said slots being shown. Straps corresponding to the straps 22 will be laced through the slots 23.

when high chairs are manufactured and equipped at the factory with my safety guard, they will be provided with two special front arm supporting spindles 24 having in each of their opposing sides a vertical groove 25. In place oi the straps 22, a safety guard will be removably mounted in the grooves 25 by inserting its vertical edge portions in said grooves at the tops and sliding the same downwardly therein. In Fig. 6 is shown a fragment of a high chair 26 embodying the spindles 24 that support the arms 21 of said chair at their outer end portions from the bottom 28 of said chair.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a vertically disposed panel having a pair of arch-like leg openings in its lower portion. said panel being applicable to a chair having a seat, a pair of arms and spindles supporting the arms from the seat, said arms projecting outwardly of the spindles, said panel when applied to the chair adapted to loosely rest on the seat and extend under the arms and past the same, a pair of members mounted on the panel for adjustment toward or from each other, and means attached to the members and adapted to loosely encircle the spindles for attaching the members to the spindles.

2. In a device of the class described, a vertically disposed panel having a pair of arch-like leg openings in its lower portion, said panel being applicable to a chair having a seat, a pair of arms and spindles supporting the arms from the seat, said arms projecting outwardly of the spindles, said panel when applied to the chair adapted to loosely rest on the seat and extend under the arms and past the same, a pair of clips mounted on the panel for adjustment toward or from each other, and means attached to the 4 clips and adapted to loosely encircle the spindles for attaching the clips to the spindles.

3. In a device of the class described, a vertically disposed panel having a pair of arch-like leg openings in its lower portion, said panel being applicable to a chair having a seat, a pair of arms and spindles supporting the arms from the seat, said arms projecting outwardly of the spindles, said panel when applied to the chair adapted to loosely rest on the seat and extend under the arms and past the same, a pair of clips mounted on the panel for adjustment toward or from each other, and buckle-equipped straps attached to the clips and adapted to loosely encircle the spindles for attaching the clips to the spindles.

4. In a device of the class described, a vertically disposed panel having a pair of archlike leg openings in its lower portion, said panel being applicable to a chair having a seat, a pair of arms and spindles supporting the arms from the seat, said arms projecting outwardly of the spindles, said panel when applied to the chair adapted to loosely rest on the seat and extend under the arms and past the same, a pair of clips slidably interlocked with the panel and each clip having a pair of slots, and buckleequipped straps laced through the slots in the clips and adapted to loosely encircle the spindles.

MILDRED STROT BYRNE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 231,918 Littell Sept. 7, 1880 1,172,103 Bennett Feb. 15, 1916 1,486,813 Tallman Mar. 11, 1924 2,084,448 Merchant June 22, 1937 2,263,898 Michelic Nov. 25, 194i 

